I'm a trustee of our local library. We're starting a fundraising campaign and I need to know why you use your library - what would you miss the most if it wasn't there anymore?
Does your library offer any really neat things?
Any good fundraising ideas?
Thanks.
Ame

By Dawnk777 on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 05:13 pm:

Books to read, books for information, cds, dvds, videos, and computer software.

They have tons of kid software just about the time we put a cd-rom on our computer. It was great. We used it a lot. They also have toys you can check out, too. My children enjoyed those, too.

By Colette on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 05:26 pm:

One thing our library just started selling these really nice canvas tote bags with "friend of the (my town) library" on it. It's perfect for holding all of my library books. They sold them for $10 each. They also did a 50/50 raffle - sold tickets for a certain amount and the winner splits the money with the library.

this is taken from the library website

What do the Friends do?
The Friends support the library by providing:
· Group membership passes to area museums.
· Funding for special family programming, such as musicians, magicians and other performers.
· Funding to supplement the library's materials budget.
· Popular fundraising events for the library, such as our Book and Bake Sales and Christmas musical.
· Videos for both our regular and Children's collections.
· Books on Tape collection.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 05:51 pm:

Definitely, canvas tote bags.

My Friends of the Library group solicits donations from local merchants and puts together gift baskets, for which it sells lottery tickets. It also solicits donations from users periodically - plants in the Spring, which are sold - jewelry people don't want and want to give away, for which there is a silent auction - various crafts, also silent auction. At Christmas last year they had a wonderful collection of mens ties, good quality, donated or purchased at cut price from a local merchant, which they sold. They also encourage people to sign up with local supermarkets which offer a (very) small percentage of your purchases as a one time a year donation to the library. There is always a large jar on the counter for donations, with a sign saying donations are used to buy new books.

My library has a Book Cellar, where donated books and videos are sold - it is staffed by volunteers several days a week and especially on Saturdays, in a special room set up for that purpose. Fund raising mailings are sent out to library users a couple of times a year, and a quarterly newsletter is distributed at the library.

I use the Abington Township library, Abington, PA, and I think the Friends have a web site. It is a wonderful library and I visit at least once a week. I borrow books, videos, research Consumer Reports, and sometimes research stuff I'm interested in. Before I got a modem, I used the library to download information on my mom's prescription drugs. I see lots of people using the computers in the library all the time - some to find out of a particular book is avaiilable or can be borrowed from somewhere else in the county system, and others on the internet.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 05:53 pm:

Here's the web page for the Abington Library Friends:
http://abg.mclinc.org/aplfrnd.htm

By Colette on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 06:13 pm:

Our library also does a fall fundraiser, I think they call it an Oktoberfest - they sell discarded or donated books, provide entertainment and do a bake sale/cookout type table. It's very small, but a lot of fun.

I love my library!

By Kate on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 06:54 pm:

I use my library for books mostly. Our library also has tons of childrens programs: story hours, craft/story hours, singers, magicians, giant bubble blowers, tea parties for girls, teddy bear picnics for kids, American Girl parties, stuffed animal parties, 'late' night pajama story hours, holiday story hours, and often a certain character will come to visit like Clifford or Arthur or Pooh Bear, etc. I don't use the library for internet use at all. I also use it for DVDs and videos.

By Fraggle on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 07:49 pm:

We go to the library a lot. We take out a lot of books, DVD's and videos, and we also attend the children's story time. They also have really nice program during the summer time to encourage reading-that is probably our favorite time of year at the library. The kids get to read books and fill them in on their reading log and there is a party at the end of the summer for all the kids who participate.

The library also has a used book sale each year-they actually just started collecting books again for this years-they usually happen in the early summer.

One other great thing about our library is there is a sunken play area for kids filled with puzzles, puppets and other educational type toys. This is also where the older kids have their story time. My girls love the puzzles.

By Mrsheidi on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 09:16 am:

We check out books and children's DVD's and LOVE it!

We also go to a "Babies Love Books" get together time once a week. That fills up fast.
Our Library

By Trisa on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 10:06 am:

Our library has story time and a craft
for kids once a week. Also they have a little area
that kids can listen to a story on tape and follow
along in a book. Also has a good selection
of movies.

By Missmudd on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 11:34 am:

Books, videos and dvds mostly. Afterschool reading program. Being able to go online and order items from other libraries in our county has been a great addition in the last year. Our library is currently fundraising too for a new addition. Our library is smaller than my house so it is much needed. They have done raffles, I think that they are going to need major grants and donations tho.

By Breann on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 02:59 pm:

We use our library just for books to read. Once in awhile we'll get an educational type book (how to sew, how to fix "x") but we usually just use our computer/internet for that.

So, I would mostly miss the books we check out to read.

By Bea on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 01:46 pm:

We use ours for concerts, movies, lecturesand the usual books, tapes, CDs, and DVDs. We went to a Sold Out Concert with Coyote Run, a great folk group just last night. Most of their events are well attended and reasonably priced. It's one of the main ways our library makes money.

By Jenn34 on Sunday, February 20, 2005 - 02:23 pm:

I miss my old library- Chester County library in Exton, Pa. It was HUGH! It had a great childrens section and just about everything else you could want it s library. I don't use the library in my new town as much because its not really kid friendly. It doesn't have the roon to have a separate kids sections so you tend to get alot of LOOKS from other patrons on the computers but there's only so quiet a child can be in the library. I also wish we had the funding for more childrens programs.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 10:11 am:

Thanks so much gals! I'll let you know how we do.

Ame